What is the difference between the 32-bit and 64-bit Windows system?

Source: Internet
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What is the difference between the 32-bit and 64-bit Windows system?

How do I determine 32-bit and 64-bit systems?

Whether the computer architecture is 32-bit or 64-bit depends on the processor (CPU) inside the machine. Currently, most computer processors belong to one of these two categories. 64-bit processors are more powerful than the corresponding 32-bit processors because they can save and process more information.

To understand the size of the difference between the two, you have to understand a little bit about the binary count, the binary is only two digits 0 or 1.

Therefore, the 32-digit number has 2 ^ 32 possible addresses, that is, 4,294,967,296. In contrast, the 64-digit capacity is 2 ^ 64, which is 18,446,744,073,709,551,616. By comparing about 4 billion bytes and 18 trillion bytes, you can see the difference between the two.

Microsoft offers 32-bit and 64-bit versions for each version of Windows, and we can choose to download or install it.

If you are using a 64-bit processor, you need to install a 64-bit version of Windows, and of course the 32-bit version of Windows can work on 64-bit processors. However, you cannot install a 64-bit version of Windows on a 32-bit processor.

We use 32-bit and 64-bit systems with two major differences. A 32-bit version of Windows can only use up to 4 GB of RAM. Therefore, if you place GB of RAM in a Windows 32-bit system, only 4 GB of memory is actually available.

Another different place is the Program Files folder. On a 32-bit version of Windows, the application is installed in the unique Program Files folder, and the 64-bit system has an additional file (x86) clip. This is because the write software for a 32-bit architecture differs greatly from writing software to a 64-bit system.

When a program needs to get some shared information, such as a DLL, you need to find the correct programs files directory. In a Windows 32-bit system, called the x86,64 bit system, called the x64.

Older versions of Windows, such as Windows 3.1, run 16-bit software. The 32-bit version of Windows is backward compatible with these older programs. However, if you use a 64-bit system, you cannot run the old 16-bit software. Of course, it's good that someone will linger over the old software.

32-bit and 64-bit programs

Whenever some software is installed, the supplier offers 32-bit or 64-bit two versions, and some developers only provide a 32-bit version. Some programs in the installation will let you choose, some programs automatically identify and install. If you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, you should install the 64-bit version of the software whenever possible.

When we use Google Browser, the speed of the x64 version may not make you too satisfied. Because Google's browser uses a 64-bit architecture to enhance security, which makes it more stable than X86 's Google browser.

Now that we've covered all the details of 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows, how do you know which version of Windows you're using?

There are many ways, the simplest is to right-click "My Computer", select Properties, all versions of the general Windows operating system can be found in the inside.

The processor and operating system bit sizes should match, but if they do not match, you can also upgrade. If you are running a 32-bit version of Windows 10 on a 64-bit processor, you can follow the guide to upgrade to x64 windows. Users running a 32-bit version of Windows on a 32-bit processor cannot upgrade.

64-bit computing is becoming a new standard, but it has also undergone a difficult course of development. Although there are 64-bit versions of Windows XP, compatibility is a headache for many users. Using 64-bit systems until Windows 7 became popular.

Now developers are focused on developing 64-bit software, which will be a long-term standard.

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